“Don’t curse the deaf; don’t put a stumbling block in front of the blind; fear your God. I am God.” Leviticus 19:14
“Treat me like person” was the awkwardly printed response on a questionnaire our agency gives adults with intellectual disabilities asking what help they need. We were really expecting answers like job, place to live, bus, money. But this fellow’s felt need was to be treated like a human being.
Every person with a disability deserves to be recognized by the people he meets every day. Meeting these needs isn’t expensive. A smile, a nod, a “good morning,” a chat, a handshake, and the all-American “have a nice day” are some ways to include the person with a disability in our lives.
Recently during my daily Bible reading, I was learning about all of the laws God gave Moses for the Israelites to obey. When I read, “Don’t curse the deaf; don’t put a stumbling block in front of the blind,” I was puzzled. Having read the Bible through often and having thought about people with disabilities daily, how did I miss that one? The verse is a clear directive to be kind to people with disabilities.
The law is clear. A person who is deaf couldn’t hear the curse. The person who is blind would trip over the object placed in his path. In both cases, the person is being made fun of, belittled or, in some way, not being respected as a fellow human being. The Israelites shouldn’t do that and nor should we.
While people who are deaf and blind are the focus of this law, any person with a disability is worthy of its enactment by any person who is in their presence. In line to be greeted are people with speech and language problems, learning disabilities, emotional problems, autism, traumatic brain injury, and any other diagnosis that makes up the 58 million people in American who are disabled. The millions of people can be overwhelming. Don’t let it. We are dealing with one person at a time. “People first language” is a 1988 concept that was added to a mandatory education law in America. Making the person the main thrust of our communication with him and not his disability helps us obey the Leviticus law.
In reading this ancient law, the godly importance of treating people with disabilities with kind concern was underscored for me. As individuals who obey God’s laws, treating people with disabilities is ours to do. “I am God” speaks to HIS character. He is gracious, merciful, and compassionate and we, His followers, should reflect His traits. The double commandments of loving God and loving our neighbor will be obeyed when we include people with disabilities in our lives. We are accountable to God for the way we treat our neighbors (i.e., people with disabilities). It is the godly thing to do.
Even though I have worked with people with disability for decades, I have renewed my motivation and commitment to treat people with disabilities like the human beings they are. I feel more deeply that it is my godly responsible to do so. For that I am indebted to an old law that has added new meaning in my world.
“Treat me like person” was the awkwardly printed response on a questionnaire our agency gives adults with intellectual disabilities asking what help they need. We were really expecting answers like job, place to live, bus, money. But this fellow’s felt need was to be treated like a human being.
Every person with a disability deserves to be recognized by the people he meets every day. Meeting these needs isn’t expensive. A smile, a nod, a “good morning,” a chat, a handshake, and the all-American “have a nice day” are some ways to include the person with a disability in our lives.
Recently during my daily Bible reading, I was learning about all of the laws God gave Moses for the Israelites to obey. When I read, “Don’t curse the deaf; don’t put a stumbling block in front of the blind,” I was puzzled. Having read the Bible through often and having thought about people with disabilities daily, how did I miss that one? The verse is a clear directive to be kind to people with disabilities.
The law is clear. A person who is deaf couldn’t hear the curse. The person who is blind would trip over the object placed in his path. In both cases, the person is being made fun of, belittled or, in some way, not being respected as a fellow human being. The Israelites shouldn’t do that and nor should we.
While people who are deaf and blind are the focus of this law, any person with a disability is worthy of its enactment by any person who is in their presence. In line to be greeted are people with speech and language problems, learning disabilities, emotional problems, autism, traumatic brain injury, and any other diagnosis that makes up the 58 million people in American who are disabled. The millions of people can be overwhelming. Don’t let it. We are dealing with one person at a time. “People first language” is a 1988 concept that was added to a mandatory education law in America. Making the person the main thrust of our communication with him and not his disability helps us obey the Leviticus law.
In reading this ancient law, the godly importance of treating people with disabilities with kind concern was underscored for me. As individuals who obey God’s laws, treating people with disabilities is ours to do. “I am God” speaks to HIS character. He is gracious, merciful, and compassionate and we, His followers, should reflect His traits. The double commandments of loving God and loving our neighbor will be obeyed when we include people with disabilities in our lives. We are accountable to God for the way we treat our neighbors (i.e., people with disabilities). It is the godly thing to do.
Even though I have worked with people with disability for decades, I have renewed my motivation and commitment to treat people with disabilities like the human beings they are. I feel more deeply that it is my godly responsible to do so. For that I am indebted to an old law that has added new meaning in my world.
 | Dr. Jim Pierson |
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